When the Lights Go Out
by sastrawn
Summary: A one shot about the lights going out on the Argo II. Leo has to fix the lights because everyone else is too busy kissing.


**When the Lights Go Out**

It had been a fairly uneventful day on the Argo II. There had been a few monster attacks, but nothing too unusual. Leo gazed out at the glittering ocean and sighed. There was no one around, just him and his ship. And Buford of course. Leo usually enjoyed the time he got with the things he knew best. Inorganic life-forms. I mean, they were great and all, and he trusted his friends with his life, but he couldn't help them like he could help machines. Their problems couldn't be solved with new wiring, or by tightening some loose screws. He didn't understand them as well. And of course, there was the problem of belonging, the feeling that he was the odd man out. He'd felt that way from the beginning, and then Nemesis confirmed it. His good mood fell as he remembered what she said. "The outcast." He muttered to himself. "The seventh wheel. Great." He shook himself out of his bad mood, pasted a smile on his face, and set the ship on auto pilot.

He would admit, there were some times that it was good to be around other people. Leo knew that a time like this was one of them. He needed something to do, and it wouldn't hurt if it got them closer together also. His loneliness faded as he tried to decide what to play. Hmm….

After a few minutes of searching, he found them in the pseudo living room, relaxing on the couches, talking. "Everyone up!" he commanded, and was surprised when they complied. "We are going to play a game." He informed them as he constructed a circle of six chairs. "It's called, Never Had I Ever. Have any of you played before?" Annabeth nodded, and so did Piper. "For all of you who have been deprived, I'll explain. The way it works," He informed them as he herded them into the circle "is that one person is stuck in the middle. You do not want to be in the middle. So the person in the middle will say something like, 'Never have I ever…." He trailed off as he tried to think of something. "Worn high heels.' And everyone who _has_ worn high heels will get up and try to get to another seat. The person in the middle is also trying to grab a seat. One person won't Get one, and they'll be stuck in the middle. And so the game continues."

The other demi-gods nodded their understanding, and Frank asked, "But who starts?"

Leo grinned at him and said, "I'm glad you asked! It is the last person standing." He said as he jumped onto one of the chairs. His friends all rushed to get seats, and Percy got stuck in the middle.

"Uh, never have I ever, stayed in one school for more than two grades." He said this like it was normal, and just shrugged when everyone looked at him funny. They all got up and tried to find a chair, leaving Hazel in the middle.

"Never have I ever, had a pet cat." She switched spots with Piper, and it was Pipers turn to give everyone a funny look. "Really? None of you have ever had a cat?" They all shook their heads. "Wow. Never have I ever killed a Cyclops."

In the rush that followed Leo got stuck in the middle. "Dang. Hmm….never have I ever kissed in the dark." He looked at his friends and wiggled his eyebrows, glancing around. Everyone else did the same, and the girls all relaxed a little when no-one stood. "Dang again!" Leo muttered. "Never have I ever ridden a horse."

Next was Percy, and he started looking for danger. He looked Annabeth straight in the eyes and said, "Never have I ever been invisible."

She got up and stared him down, saying, "Never have I ever kissed a girl." Leo tried not to draw attention to himself as he stayed where he was.

Jason thought for a moment, then said, "Never have I ever had my hair past my shoulders." All the girls stood up, as did Leo. Everyone sent him questioning looks, and he shrugged.

"It was part of my Halloween costume one year." Then he hurried on with the next statement. "Never have I ever…worn something that looks like a dress." He laughed as everyone stood, the guys all muttering about how a toga shouldn't count.

And so the game continued. They played for a while, learning new things about each other and having fun. Then, in the middle of Franks turn, the lights flickered, and they went out.

Leo summoned a candle-like flame that dance on his fingers as he asked, "Everyone okay?" After receiving confirmation he stood and said, "I'll go check it out." He got up and went to check the controls. As he walked across the room, he heard a whisper followed by a giggle, but shrugged it off and stepped out into the hallway. He looked up, confused. The lights were on in here. He placed a hand on the light switch by the door, and sensed what was wrong immediately. He rolled his eyes. "Simple fix." He muttered as he turned the switch off.

A few minutes later he returned and replaced light bulbs. It was suspiciously quiet. He returned to the doorway and turned the lights back on. The deep ache of loneliness returned full force. "Well, I guess we're done playing." He whispered as he turned to leave. His friends were too busy fixin the 'never had they ever kissed in the dark' thing to notice. The goddesses words hit him like never before. "You will always be the outsider."He repeated as he left.

He glanced back and let out a bitter chuckle as he ascended to the top deck, and the job he knew so well. He gazed at the sea, and the wide, emptiness of the landscape reminded him of his own heart. He laughed darkly. "Leo Baldez, Super-Sized Mcshizzle, Bad Boy Spreme. And then in a voice that pleaded for companionship, and care, finished, "Leo Valdez, Outsider, and Seventh Wheel."

The words lingered in the air for a long time afterwards. But, as it had been for as long as he could remember, there was no one there to hear them.


End file.
